


Mad About The Boy

by robin_writes



Series: Criminal Minds ficlets based on songs [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M, First Date, Fluff, Insomnia, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-19 11:41:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14236515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robin_writes/pseuds/robin_writes
Summary: Spencer Reid is the reason you can't sleep. His stupidly perfect face and his stupidly perfect mind. He's stupidly perfect and it's keeping you awake at night. The only thing you can do is confront him with your feelings. Maybe then you'll be able to sleep.





	Mad About The Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the song 'Mad About The Boy' by Dinah Washington

You tossed in bed, scrunching up the covers in frustration. Eventually you lifted your head and turned it to look at your alarm clock - 04:38. You sighed loudly and growled. You were sick of not being able to sleep. It was meant to be your day off tomorrow, but it looked like you were going to spend it sleeping. You pushed yourself off of your bed and wrapped a silk kimono around you. You picked up your phone and keys, and slipped your feet into a pair of shoes sitting by the door. There was a twenty-four hour convenience store across the street and you hurried to it.

The clerk smiled at you. You often visited the store in your pajamas in the middle of the night. You headed directly for the pharmacy aisle, grabbing a box of SIeepeaze. And then after a moment thinking, you also picked up a bottle of banana flavoured milk. When you were a kid it always helped. You checked out quickly and then stumbled back to your apartment.

Dropping the kimono on the floor by the door, you took two pills and washed them down with the banana milk. Before you climbed back into bed, you set an alarm on your phone for noon and then you shut your eyes.

You swam in dreams of your large brown eyed colleague who was the cause of your insomnia. You started working at the BAU in the FBI eight months ago when you transferred over from the Philadelphia police department. You met the enigma that is Dr Spencer Reid on your third day at the Bureau when you stumbled into him in the elevator, grabbing at his bicep and chest and then profusely apologising while you turned beet-red. But you noticed something that very few people ever got the chance to realise; under his cardigans and vests and scarves, Dr Spencer Reid had a rockin' bod.

The alarm woke you, sparing you from images of Spencer and his ridiculously perfect bone structure. You wandered into your bathroom, in a zombie-like state, and ran the tap. The hot water scalded your hands, but it felt good. You splashed the hot water over your face and then patted it dry with a flannel. There were dark circles under your eyes, a testament to how little you’ve slept over the last few months. Maybe you should just confront Spencer with how you feel. It might not change anything, or it might even make things at work awkward and uncomfortable if he rejected your advances. But even if that happened, you’d sleep better knowing either way.

You headed for your closet and pulled out a purple dress, it was short sleeved and had a white Peter Pan collar. You laid it out on your bed and then slipped out of your pajamas, stepping into a pair of purple lace underwear, and then you pulled the dress on over your head. You knew purple was Spencer’s favourite colour, so he was likely to respond well to it. You brushed through your hair and then threw it up into a ponytail. You put on some clear lip gloss and mascara, more to procrastinate than to look better, and then you grabbed a small purse with your phone and keys. Locking up, you took a deep breath to gather courage.

Spencer only lived fifteen minutes away, so you decided to walk. The air cooled your heated face and calmed you a little. You reached his apartment far too quickly, so decided to take a slow walk around the block to put off talking to him. But you couldn’t avoid him any longer. Climbing up the stairs only took a couple of minutes but you needed more time to try to figure out what you wanted to say. You stood, lingering outside his door. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe you should just go home.

Just as you were about to turn around, you heard talking from inside the apartment. Stepping closer, but trying not to make a sound, you listened to the voices. It sounded like only Spencer was talking, he was on the phone. “Hello, oh it’s you.” His voice sounded happy and light. “That’s fantastic, I’ll check with my boss if I can get the time off but I’m sure he’ll agree. I rarely take time off.” He paused, listening to the other person speak. “Can I call tomorrow? … Thanks, bye.” You frowned. At work it didn’t seem like Spencer was dating, but he was such a private person you couldn’t know for sure. You left, walking back to your own apartment.

When you got home, you took a long, hot bath, and tried to put Spencer out of your mind. Tried and failed. Although you felt stupid and embarrassed, you were glad you didn’t knock and embarrass yourself in front of him. Sure he’d act nice and not make you feel worse, but you’d feel the shame every time you saw him. 

You slept better the next night, but not by much. You had a sort of closure, but you still wanted Spencer, your heart ached for him. You dressed for work quietly, a somber atmosphere enveloped you, and then you drove to work. The radio turned up loudly so you couldn’t think because if you thought, you’d want the day off, and if you took the day off, you’d spend it wallowing in self pity.

Hotch was in his office as you’d expected, and Emily was at her desk but no one else was in yet. You walked to the kitchenette and poured yourself some coffee. It was already hot so either Emily or Hotch had started it when they came in. You used to take milk and a spoon of sugar, but since you stopped sleeping, you only drink black for maximum efficiency. 

You took the coffee to your desk and started sorting the paperwork for the day, that is if you don’t get any cases. Everyone else filtered in at varying times during the next hour, first Reid and then Rossi and then JJ and then Derek and Garcia. You lifted your head up each time someone walked in, but other than that you kept quiet and wrote up old case reports. When he came in, Spencer dropped his satchel on his desk and then went to talk to Hotch.

Throughout the day, you would occasionally look up to Spencer’s desk unintentionally. Checking in on him every so often was a habit you would rather stop, but when you looked at him, your face softened. You studied Spencer’s face; the light caught a patch above his eyebrow and under his eye. You smiled unwittingly. His hair looked extra fluffy today and your fingers twitched, begging to run through it. 

It was late, and you were tired. As you got up to grab another cup of coffee, Garcia appeared and took your wrist. She pulled you off to her cave, shut the door behind you and then pushed you into a chair. “What’s with all the sad looks at Reid?”  
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You crossed your arms, looking up at her.  
“You’re getting defensive!” Garcia pointed at you, smiling. “Spill.”  
“There’s nothing to spill. I have to get back to work.” You mumbled and stood up. Penelope pushed you lightly and held you down on the chair, her hands resting on your shoulders. “Fine.” You exhaled loudly. “I like Spencer’s face and his body and his mind.” You whispered, but Penelope heard you. She smiled wide.  
“Oh! This is fantastic. You have to ask him out!”  
“I can’t.”   
“Why not? You’re totally perfect together.”  
“He’s seeing someone.”  
“Wait, really?” Garcia was surprised, Spencer had never showed any signs of dating.  
“I heard him on the phone, he said he was going to take a trip to see her if Hotch gives him the time off.”  
“Stand up,” She ordered you. You complied and Penelope sat down, wheeling herself towards her focal computer screen. “and let me show off.” She began typing and bringing up various websites. After a minute, she spun around to look at you. “He’s not seeing anyone.” She announced.  
“What did you find?” Suddenly intrigued.  
“He’s going to visit his mom.”  
“It didn’t sound like he was talking to his mom.”  
“No, he was probably talking to one of the nurses.”  
“Nurses?” You had no idea what Penelope was talking about.  
“Reid’s mom is in a hospital in Vegas. She is a paranoid schizophrenic.”  
“Oh.” You said, but it sounded more like an exhale. “That doesn’t mean he’s not seeing someone, just that he’s not taking time off to visit her.”  
“He hasn’t visited any restaurants or bought more than one ticket to the movies or been to the theatre in the last year.”  
“Oh. So he’s not dating anyone.” You said.  
“Yep.” She popped the ‘p’. “Now you don’t have any excuse. Go get him cowgirl.”  
“Right now?” You started to get nervous.  
“Right now.” Penelope ushered you out of the door and encouraged you down the hall.

You walked back into the bullpen. Almost everyone had gone, Hotch was still in his office and Derek was still there. You frowned when you saw Spencer was gone. You’d find him tomorrow, you thought. And you started to feel good about tomorrow, excited that it was something you could look forward to. You picked up your bag and then walked to the elevator. “Hold it please.” You said loudly, and then rushed to the elevator. Spencer had his finger pressed to the doors open button. You smiled when you saw him. But you tripped on the metal connecting the floor to the elevator floor. You flung forwards, trying to grip anything to keep you standing. That anything turned out to be Spencer. You clung to him and he wrapped his arms around you to stop you from falling. Spencer pulled you up and then laughed nervously as the elevator started to move. “Déjà vu.” You said quietly.  
“Déjà vu comes from the French ‘already seen’, it’s the feeling that the situation currently being experienced has already been experienced in the past. I think you’re referring to Déjà vécu, coming from the French ‘already lived through’, when you realise that you have already lived something.” You chuckled at Spencer’s need to intellectualise every conversation.  
“I didn’t catch the difference there, could you explain it?”  
“Déjà vu is a feeling, déjà vécu is certainty.”  
“Right.” You nodded, understanding. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” You started awkwardly.  
“We are talking.” He smiled, his head slightly cocked to the side, confused. The elevator stopped and they both got out. Spencer followed you to the parking lot.  
“We are, but I just meant do you want to go for dinner?”  
“Sure, I could eat. Who else is going? Maybe we should ask Derek, Garcia and Hotch.”  
“No, I’m sorry. I’m not being clear. Spencer Reid, this is me asking you out on a date.”  
“Oh. You’d be interested in that?” He asked, clearly surprised.  
“That’s why I suggested it.” You nodded.  
“Are you free tonight?” He asked, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear.  
“I am.”  
“Can I pick you up at seven?” He asked shyly.  
“Definitely.” You beamed.  
“Good. I’ll see you at seven.” Spencer smiled at you. You ducked to climb into your car. Spencer shut the door and then stepped back, you drove off, smiling all the way home.

You had just over an hour to get ready, so you washed and shaved and set out some clothes. You chose a dark red velvet camisole dress and matching red heels. You had only worn it once before, knowing that if you spilled anything on it, it would be almost impossible to clean.

Spencer knocked at a few minutes before seven, you smiled at his punctuality. You seem to be doing that a lot today. When you opened the door, he audibly gasped. “I never…” He started but couldn’t finish his sentence.  
“You’ve never seen this much of my skin before?” You filled in. Usually you wore a shirt and trousers, but this dress covered very little.  
“Well yes, but that isn’t what I was going to say. I never noticed how beautiful you are.”  
“Thanks.”  
“We should go.”

Spencer took you to a Greek restaurant down the street. “The reservation is under Reid.” He said to the maître d’.  
“Right this way.” She led the two of you to a table by a window. Spencer held out your chair and you sat down, thanking him. The maître d’ handed you both menus and a wine list and then moved back to her post at the front of the restaurant.  
“I’m a little nervous, if you can’t tell.” Spencer said after a few moments in silence.  
“Don’t be nervous. Tell me something.”  
“Like what?” He laughed nervously.  
“A fact. Tell me something interesting.”  
“Okay…” He thought for a moment. “I got something. Did you know that Greece has over six hundred wineries, four hundred indigenous grape varieties and four thousand years of winemaking?” Spencer started to become more comfortable. You ordered some food and talked about a really good book Spencer had read before dinner. Every now and then the conversation would lean towards work, but you would always try to steer it away. Keeping your personal and work life separate was important to you despite the connection that dating a colleague creates.

Spencer walked you back to your door. “I had a great time, thank you… for asking. It was nice.” Spencer said.  
“It was. Thank you for agreeing.” You unlocked your apartment door and stepped inside. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight.”  
“Goodnight.” Spencer said and then turned around to leave.  
“Spencer wait.” You said. He turned back and stepped closer to you.  
“I’m sorry, I thought we had expressed good wishes on parting for the night.”  
“We did, but I was hoping you would kiss me.”  
“Oh. Okay.” He leant forward tentatively but you met him more confidently, pressing your lips together and kissing chastely. You peeled back and smiled.   
“Goodnight Spencer.”  
“Goodnight.” He grinned and then turned, leaving. You shut the apartment door and dropped down on the couch. You couldn’t stop your face from contorting into a smile.

You fell asleep soon after, exhausted, and slept through until you had to get up for work. You woke up refreshed and a lot less tired than the last few months had left you.


End file.
